The community of Rocky Harbour (pop. 1050) is a picturesque town on the west coast of Newfoundland on beautiful Bonne Bay. There are many reasons to visit - including great hospitality, fine accommodations and dining, featuring excellent local seafood, and the traditional Newfoundland sound of the Anchors Aweigh house band - but none are more compelling than the town’s location relative to world-renowned Gros Morne National Park. Situated within the park boundaries, it is the ideal place to begin your exploration of the timeless, rapturous beauty of the park. Only the most remarkable places in Canada are dedicated as National Parks, and Gros Morne is no exception. It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its remarkable geology, which is a textbook study of plate tectonics and contains fossils from 500 million years ago.
The wild coastline of the park, with its dramatic cliffs and beaches are a photographer and hiker’s dream. The mountains, forming the northern edge of the long spine of the Appalachians, are rimmed with arctic-alpine tundra. Wildlife includes lynx, black bear, caribou, arctic hare, marten and moose. The austere beauty draws nature lovers from all over the world. In addition to the hikes, which range from a few kilometers to multi-day backcountry adventures, kayaking is very popular, as are boat and nature tours and whale watching, serviced from Rocky Harbour.
Of particular interest is the remarkable geological phenomenon of Western Brook Pond Fjord, a now fresh water fjord that was once attached to the sea, with 600-meter cliffs and waterfalls spilling into the incredibly clear lake. Access is by a moderately easy hike of 3 km through coastal bogs and low limestone ridges. Ecologically friendly boat tours are offered on the lake from June to October.